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About this project

Writer's Bloq is taking on an enormous problem. Only .03% of manuscripts submitted to publishers are published, and the
average self-published book sells under 20 copies. At the end of the day, it's the same story; it is extremely difficult for writers to get
discovered and publish successfully without the substantial backing of money, celebrity status, or luck.

Writer's Bloq is created for
writers, by writers who have experienced this problem first
hand. We want to meet and discover the greatest writers of our generation. But we can't do it without your help.

If our Kickstarter is successful, we will deliver Writer's Bloq directly to you in Kerouac fashion. Our writers have agreed to sacrifice their day jobs to go on the road and host Bloqparties -- to share their stories, to toast the art and pursuit of writing, to reveal their passion -- for you, with you.

So, to solve a big problem, we've created big rewards. Scroll down to see what Writer's Bloq has in store!

Bloqnote: Both Claire Hollander and Angela E J Koh, the novelists below, are members of the Writer's Bloq Collective Presse.

Sera, an attention-seeking outcast, sets free a demonic
criminal in this energy-enhanced otherworld. Punished with the death of
her mother and exiled from a systematic society, Sera seeks refuge on
Earth and trains for vengeance under her new OCD-conscious teacher and
ill-fated love, the criminal.

In this Murakami-meets-Kill-Bill
tale, Sera is stuck between righteousness and carnage and learns the
limits of her body while she ventures through worlds of diamonds, jade,
and perpetual sunset. Her goal: to obtain the animalistic and
all-consuming level of red. Sera’s fight is a fight that ignores
the inner voice of dogged fear that she must learn most—her own
desperation for forgiveness.

When sixteen-year-old Andy discovers her best friend, Eve, is dying,
her life changes forever. She is haunted by terrifying nightmares and is
forced to face the sometimes mundane, sometimes horrifying
transformations her friend endures with characteristic bravery. And then
there is Andyʼs own life, her family, friends and, of course, the guy
she should like, and the ones she shouldnʼt...

Through all her
bedside vigils and her one valiant attempt to get Eve down to the Jersey
Shore for a day of ordinary teenaged fun, Andy struggles to face both
the inevitable and her own sense of loss and estrangement. Andyʼs
struggle is the struggle of the one who is left behind, the girl who has
lost her best friend and is left alone with her secrets.

The Writer's Bloq Quarterly is a collection of writing by the top writers on the Bloq
as decided by the registered community. The Quarterly will include
short stories, poetry, essays, and short shorts, all the pieces composed
by talented writers with unique, undiscovered voices.

As a
special treat, Writer's Bloq commissioned some of the most talented
artists to create incredible art based on each piece of writing. The
artwork comes from different mediums and encompasses various subjects in
order to offer our readers a never-before-seen collection of coupled
art and writing!

Excerpts from the Quarterly Writing:

"In bed, wrapped in layers of clothing and sleeping
bag, I feel the stillness and purity of the air around me. Quite a contrast
from the dance of dust and smoke that occupies the daytime, that has followed
me since arriving in Africa. There’s been jet streams from the plane, ocean
trails following boats off the Tanzanian coast, clouds of dust belched out of
buses on the dusty road from Dar Es Salaam to Arusha, wisps of grey from the
sporadic fires in the settlements along the main road. Now it is dark, the grey
has turned to black and the smoke has turned into stardust. I am smitten, I am
smote." -Aditi Sriram

"Now, your tongue.' Sandra leaned in close. Her sweaty fingers brushed
my thigh. I flinched when her wet hair swung across my shoulder and the
bitter stench of dried chlorine settled in the space closing, too
quickly, between us. Then she touched our tongues together, just the
softest parts. The tips at first. Her tongue was warm and slippery, a
fleshy lump against my own, moist, with a muted hint of mint or iron." -Paige Cohen

Below is a sneak peek at our Quarterly Art, created specifically for the Writer's Bloq Quarterly.

* Each original art piece will also be included in a silent auction during the "Bloqparties" below!

In May, Writer's Bloq had its first event, Unsolicited, at The Strand in New York City. We were completely overjoyed at the outcome, following an intimate night of readings, half of our readers were contacted by industry professionals. We realized that we have an incredible opportunity to bring writers, readers, and industry professionals together, to celebrate quality writing and create opportunity where it should have existed before.

So now, we're bringing Bloqparties to the rest of the East Coast! If our Kickstarter is successful, Writer's Bloq will hit the road and crash 10 cities. Each event will open with an Art Gallery exhibiting our unique art collection, created specifically for the Quarterly, and close with a reading of the top pieces on the Bloq. On November 2nd, we will launch our Bloqparty Tour:

And our biggest thank you goes to you, our backers, for supporting the best writers of our generation and helping us beat the natural self-doubt of the writing process. We raise our quills in your honor!

FAQ

Have a question?
If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.

Rewards

You selected

Pledge $2 or more

11 backers

{STARVING ARTIST} Our exquisite first digital Writer's Bloq Quarterly with 15 stories, poems, and shorts by the top writers on the Bloq accompanied by original art pieces reflecting talented artists' interpretations of the writings (includes Kickstarter Exclusive content!) Plus, a personalized thank you email, which could spark a lasting correspondence with you; friendship even.

Estimated delivery:Nov 2012

You selected

Pledge $5 or more

24 backers

{FOOD STAMPS} One digital novel from the Writer's Bloq Collective Presse including Kickstarter Exclusive content and your name written inside for all to see! A haiku addressed to you delivered via tweet, email, or owl. Plus, level above.

Estimated delivery:Nov 2012

You selected

Pledge $10 or more

25 backers

{BINGO WINNINGS} Both digital novels from the Writer's Bloq Collective Presse including Kickstarter Exclusive content and your name written in each for all to see. Plus, levels above.

Estimated delivery:Nov 2012

You selected

Pledge $25 or more

25 backers

{LEMONADE STAND} Both digital novels from the Writer's Bloq Collective Presse with your name written in each for all to see, all of our digital Quarterlies of the upcoming year, a seriously literary mustache, and a ticket to the Bloqparty in the city nearest to you (cities below and to the left). Plus, levels above!

Estimated delivery:Nov 2012

You selected

Pledge $25 or more

20 backers

{TRADE ESPRESSO} Your choice of one of our incredible novels printed as a Kickstarter Exclusive Advance Edition Paperback. Also, a seriously literary mustache and a ticket to the Bloqparty in the city nearest to you (cities below and to the left). Plus, levels above! *Please note this level is not included in the levels that follow.

Pledge $50 or more

Pledge $85 or more

1 backer
Limited (49 left of 50)

*** {EXCLUSIVE} Discounted pre-sale tickets to the invitation only THE BENELIT: Great Gatsby Gala hosted by Writer's Bloq (www.thebenelit.com). Our first annual literary benefit in celebration of literature’s greatest voices themed around F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. An evening filled with scotch on the rocks, fine dining, and conversations with some of the most treasured writers of our time -- pulitzer prize winners, journalists of merit, acclaimed novelists, laureate poets -- all seated around two things, a table, and The Love and Pursuit of Extraordinary Literature. (Not included in other levels).

Estimated delivery:Oct 2013

You selected

Pledge $100 or more

24 backers
Limited (6 left of 30)

{QUIT SMOKING} Be listed as a benefactor on Writer's Bloq 'About' section with the option of a link back to a website of your choice, as well as an image of you wearing your literary mustache! Great opportunity for shameless self-promotion. Plus, levels above!

Estimated delivery:Jan 2013

You selected

Pledge $250 or more

11 backers
Limited (19 left of 30)

{AVOID BIRKENSTOCK} An illustrated portrait of yourself (or a person of your choosing) done in Writer's Bloq signature style (as depicted in our video) by our very talented illustrator. Your portrait will also be accompanied by a short tale written by a Presse writer. Plus, levels above!

Estimated delivery:Nov 2013

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

10 backers
Limited (20 left of 30)

{SKIP RENT Brooklyn} The first 100 Writer's Bloq Collective Presse digital releases with your name written in the back of each for all to see. Also, a Skype or phone call Q & A with one of our authors. Plus, levels above!

Estimated delivery:Nov 2012

You selected

Pledge $1,000 or more

0 backers
Limited (5 left of 5)

{SKIP RENT Manhattan} Name a character in a Writer's Bloq Collective Presse digital release! Choose a name, we'll tell you which book, and read it to find your special character (profanities will be subject to further consideration). Plus, levels above!

Estimated delivery:Nov 2013

You selected

Pledge $3,000 or more

0 backers
Limited (5 left of 5)

{RICH UNCLE FRED} Your short story or novel manuscript edited by Collective Presse Editors. You will receive multiple rounds of in-line edits and editorial feedback via phone, Skype, email, or in person of up to 100,000 of your words.

Estimated delivery:Nov 2013

You selected

Pledge $5,000 or more

0 backers
Limited (1 left of 1)

{HEY LENA} For one entire week, we will put down our books, our brushes, and even our forks to help you on set. We are skilled at fetching coffee, walking dogs, and paintballing mean extras. No, but really, we'll be your unpaid interns. (Other than the 5K tip towards all struggling writers working in unpaid internships recently cut off from their parents, of course).

Estimated delivery:Nov 2013

You selected

Pledge $10,000

0 backers
Limited (1 left of 1)

{HEY LUPE, just for you} VIP ticket for you and 9 friends to THE BENELIT: Great Gatsby Gala hosted by Writer's Bloq. Our first annual literary benefit in celebration of literature’s greatest voices themed around F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. An evening filled with scotch on the rocks, fine dining, and conversations with some of the most treasured writers of our time -- pulitzer-prize winners, journalists of merit, acclaimed novelists, laureate poets -- all seated around two things, a table, and The Love and Pursuit of Extraordinary Literature.

Estimated delivery:Nov 2013

Funding period

Aug 22, 2012 - Sep 24, 2012
(32 days)

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